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O. W. DRAKE.

ATTAOHMBNT FOR SCREW DRIVERS.

(No Model.)

No. 290,218. Patented Dec. 18, 1883.

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Iv PEIEns, Phnla-Lilhngnphur. Wnhinglon. D. c.

. thereof.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- CHARLES WV. DRAKE, OF PITTSBURG, PENFSYLVANIA.

I ATTACHMENT FOR SCREW-DRIVERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 290,218, dated December 18, 1883.

Application filed June 21. 1883. (No model.)

To aZLwhom. it uty concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. DRAKE, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Attachments for Screw- Drivers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description My invention consists of an improved attachment for screw-drivers, by which the screw is held to the bit of the driver either in screwing or unscrewing.

There are many places in which screws have to be inserted where there is not room to insert the hand or a holding device to hold them while being started, or to catch them *to prevent their falling when being unscrewed. Many screws used in the construction of delicate machinery are too small to be held by hand, and can be applied only with inconvenience and difficulty. My invention is designed to obviate all of these difficulties, and to supply a device not only simple, cheap, and effective, but which can be applied'to any and all screw-drivers at present in use.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now describe it by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a screw-driver provided with my improvement, and illustrating its use with a screw. Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views of the attachment on the driver in two different positions. Figs. 4 and 5 are views of the screw-holding jaws. Fig. 6 is an end View of the bit-and attachment. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the elastic holding-ring, and Fig. '8 is a cross-section at m an, Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts. The screwdriver a is of the usual form and construction, having a bit, a, and handle of.

The screw-holder consists of two'j aws, b, which extend along the edges of the bit a, and are provided with converging or turned-in holding ends 12 and with turned-in ends or hooks b for engaging notches c c and c in the edges of the blade at of the driver. The ends b are slotted, as at b, Fig. 6, for the passage of the edges of the bit a. The jaws b are each provided with side flanges, b", which extend at v tion, the holding ends I) right angles over the'sidcs of the bit a, those of one jaw overlying the'fianges of the other jaw, as shown in Fig. 5. The flanges b on one jaw are slotted, as shown at b", and those of the other have pivots or pins 6 which extend into the slots bf in the first jaw. The jaws b are recessed, as at b and a rubber annulus or other elastic ring, d, is placed around them and rests in the said recesses. Thus constructed, the attachment is placed on the blade of the driver, as shown in the drawings.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the hooks b are shown to be resting in the notches c. When in this posiproject beyond the bit a sufiiciently to hold a flat-headed screw, 6, the edge of the bit entering the crease or out firmly together on the driver, with-the hooks in the notches e, by the elastic ring or bandd, which will also permit them to spread su ffi.

ciently to allow of their being pushed back or forward on the blade of the driver either into the notch c or c, and also to pass over the edges of a wide-headed screw. When a screwhead is slipped laterally between them, they clasp it with sufficient tenacity .for all practical purposes. The slots 1) are of I sufficient length to permit the spreading of the jaws in adjusting them along the blade of the driver without allowing the pivots b to escape therefrom. The notch c is designed for use with.

hemispherical or other thick-headed screws where there is considerable distance between the top and bottom of the head. The notch c is designed for holding the attachment when it is not needed and it is desired to restore the driver to its normal condition. In such case the attachment is pushed up on the blade I until the hooks I) drop into the notches c and then it is out of the way and the driver can be used as heretofore. The jaws, being held snugly to the shank of the blade by the elastic ring (I, do not inconveniently increase its size.

In using my improvement, the head of the screw is-passed laterally between the holding ends I) of the jaws 1) until the bit a enters the crease or out in the head. as shown in Fig. 1. When in this position, the recessed holding ends b bite on the opposite sides of the head I of the screw, the hold of each covering an arc I00 of the circle, thus neventing lateral displacement unless considerable force is applied to eflect the same. So held, the screw may be entered and started by the driver alone, and the necessity of holdin by hand or by other instruments avoided. In removing screws from narrow places, or small screws, the jaws are first drawn back and the screw started with the naked bit until the head is clear enough to be taken hold of, and then the jaws are pushed down so as to take hold, and the screw is removed, being both unscrewed and lifted out by the driver.

\Vhile I have described the cheapest, best, and simplest form and construction of my improvement known to me, I do not limit myself to details of form and construction, but claim, broadly, the combination of the driver and holding-jaws, having an elastic grasp on the screw-head. One pair of jaws can be used with several sizes of screws. If it is desired to fita driver permanently to onekind of work, the jaws may be pivoted directly to the blade; but in that case the attachment could not be drawn back to give a naked bit.

It is not necessary to have the jaws connected by the pivots, nor to have the holding-notches c 0 0 if the elastic band is strong enough to hold the jaws tightly to the edges of the blade.

I do not limit myself to the use of an elastic o band, for the reason-that I may use a spiral metallic spring for the same purpose.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a screw-driver with a pair of screw-holding jaws pivoted upon each other, and an elastic member which secures the jaws together and causes them to bite upon the head of the screw, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. The combination of a screw-driver provided with notches with a pair of screw-hold ing jaws elastically secured together and capable of an axial movement on the blade of the driver, and having hooks for engaging the notches in the driver, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination, with a screw-driver, of the flanged and pivotedjaws b and elastic band (I, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I. have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of June, A. 1'). 1883.

CHARLES \V. DRAKE.

'itncsses:

\VILLLUI II. LEWIS, A. G. S. \VILsON. 

